Inheriting a piece of land in the will of a family member, friend or loved one can be a bittersweet moment to say the least, and many pieces of inherited land understandably go unused and neglected for significant amounts of time after changing ownership. However, sooner or later you will have to do something with the land you have inherited, and having a boundary survey conducted on your land is one of the very first steps you should take.

What is a boundary survey?

When a boundary survey is conducted on a piece of land, the task of the surveyors is to ascertain the exact locations boundaries and corners or your particular plot of land. This can be a more pressing concern than you might think; even if your piece of land is edged with seemingly distinct walls or hedgerows, these structures are often placed in locations that differ wildly from the legal definition of where your land ends.

To achieve this, the extent of your land is measured against local land ownership records, historical maps and documents to determine whether its actual boundaries match up to its legally mandated boundaries. Your surveyors will then create an immensely detailed and precise map of your plot of land (a highly useful document for a variety of purposes), before planting stakes or other physical markers to mark the edges of your domain.

Why should I have a boundary survey conducted on my inherited land?

Even if you have no plans in place for your new parcel of land, having a boundary survey performed upon it has a number of advantages that make it well worth the investment:

Settling boundary disputes

God isn't making any more land, and civil claims courts see more and more disputes over land ownership and boundary locations every year. If you should find yourself in one of these sticky situations, having a boundary survey and its accompanying maps to hand is an extremely powerful legal tool, and will override other definitions of land boundaries based on physical markers, pre-existing walls and hedgerows

Attaining development permits

If you do wish to develop your land, boundary surveys are practically mandatory documents, whether you wish construct a residential home or an entire industrial complex. Without a legally binding boundary survey in your docket, local authorities will not look kindly on ant development plans you submit to them, and the owners of neighbouring plots may be more likely complain abount encroachment or view-blocking structures.

Receiving compensation for damages

Boundary surveys are also useful documents to have if you put in a compensation claim for damage done to your land, as it legally defines the extent of your property beyond all reasonable doubt. Damage to fences surrounding plots of land is a particularly common claim, and proving your damaged fences were placed in legal positions upon your own grand dramatically increases your chances of recieving suitable compensation.

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